Elderly Sikh man brutally assaulted in Los Angeles; suspect in custody
Harpal Singh, 70, is in critical condition, but the police do not consider the attack to be a hate crime, causing concern in the community
An elderly Sikh man was assaulted in Los Angeles and suffered a skull fracture and potential brain trauma, as authorities announced a suspect has been arrested for the attack.
Harpal Singh, 70, was assaulted by "unhoused" man Bo Richard Vitagliano while he was taking his daily walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles on August 4. The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement on Tuesday that Vitagliano, 44, was arrested on Monday for the “brutal attack” against Singh.
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Vitagliano has been booked for assault with a deadly weapon, and his bail was set for USD 1.1 million.
Not a hate crime?
Advocacy group The Sikh Coalition said that while the suspect is in custody for the brutal assault on Singh, the police are not investigating the case as a hate crime.
It said Singh has sustained very serious injuries during the assault and remains in critical condition.
The Sikh Coalition noted that it is “impossible to completely rule out that this is a hate crime at this stage.” Singh’s brother, Dr Gurdial Singh Randhawa, said he is grateful that the police have arrested a suspect for the horrific assault, but “we need to better understand this attack and why it is not being considered a hate crime."
The police said that on August 4, law enforcement officials responded to a radio call of an “assault with a deadly weapon investigation.” Preliminary investigation revealed there was a physical altercation between Singh and Vitagliano, who is an “unhoused” individual.
Suffers skull fracture
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded and transported Singh to a nearby hospital, where he was admitted for a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. Singh continues to be under the care of a physician due to injuries suffered in the altercation.
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Vitagliano has an extensive criminal record for narcotics, assault with a deadly weapon, and various weapons charges. Based upon the evidence in this matter, police believe the assault was not a hate crime, but instead was motivated by a dispute over property belonging to the victim.
LAPD said local officers will be conducting extra patrols in the area following this incident and will continue engaging the community to discuss public safety and address any further concerns of the Sikh community.
(With agency inputs)